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THE DAWN GARDEN 

GERTRUDE MERCIA WHEELOCK 







THE 


DAWN GARDEN 

A Fairy Stoty for Little Girls 

BY 

GERTRUDE MERCIA WHEELOCK 
>1 > 



Publishers 


DORRANCE Philadelphia 


COPYRIGHT 1922 
DORRANCB & COMPANY INC 



/ q 


PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

M)G 17 *22 

©CI.A681426 

I 


Affectionately Dedicated to 
All Little Children 

In Memory of 

PATTIE WHEELOCK BROWN 

A flower in the 
Dawn Garden of the Infinite 





















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10 


CONTENTS 

Auden Meets the Dawn Garden 


Fairies 11 

The Sunflower 25 

The Rose 34 

The Daisy 45 

The Pansy Boy 57 

The Forget-Me-Not 69 

The Dandelion 80 

The Apple Blossom 90 

The Daffodil 100 

The Lily 110 



THE DAWN GARDEN 



THE DAWN GARDEN 


1 

Arien Meets the Dawn Garden Fairies 

Arien had picked currants in the kitch- 
en garden, fed the ducks and peacocks 
and done most of the things which made 
a visit to Grandma’s especially delight- 
ful. She had played with the Maltese 
kitten until both she and kitty had be- 
come drowsy, and finally— with the kitten 
curled up in a tight, drab ball in her lap— 
she sat swinging in the hammock in a 
sunny corner of the porch wondering what 
to do next. 

As she looked down the garden under 
the spreading trees she thought she saw 
an opening in the hedge, which was rather 
odd. Surely Hicks, the gardener, would 
not make a hole like that in the hedge. 
‘Ouriosity led Arien to lay the little kitten 
in the hammock and run with eager steps 
11 


12 


The Dawn Garden 


down the garden path. As she did so, the 
sunlight seemed to become less bright and 
the garden become cool and shady. When 
she reached the end of the walk there it 
was, plainly visible, just as she had seen 
it from the porch. She knew what was 
on the other side of the hedge. It was the 
big clover meadow where Grandpa turned 
the cows to pasture. 

She was quite close to the opening now, 
so she thrust her curly head through. To 
her surprise the meadow was not on the 
other side— but a beautiful walk with 
strange bushes on either side, of a size and 
shape she had never seen. Slipping all 
the way through, she stood for a moment 
in wonder. The air was cool and soft, 
but everything was nearly hidden in a 
thick gray cloak of mist. 

As she stood looking about she was con- 
scious of a rippling laugh at her shoulder. 
It sounded like the tinkling of a brook 
over clear, brown pebbles. Turning, she 
saw a graceful figure about her own height 
wrapped in a gray cloak that fioated from 
her shoulders in waving folds. Arien 


Arien Meets the Fairies 


13 


could not see her face distinctly, but heard 
her voice, as she said : 

‘^When did you come, little world 
child r’ 

‘‘I just crawled through the hedge,’’ 
said Arien. ‘‘I thought this was Grand- 
pa’s meadow.” 

‘‘No, it isn’t a meadow, answered the 
gray figure with another rippling laugh, 
“you are in the Dawn Garden.” 

“What is the Dawn Garden?” asked 
Arien. 

“It is a garden where all the fiowers 
are born for the world of men ; and where 
they are cared for by the Dawn Garden 
Fairies.” 

“Who are you?” asked Arien. 

“I am the Shower Fairy,” she replied, 
and as she spoke she shook out her robe. 
Arien felt a soft spray moisten her face. 

“What do you do in the Dawn Gar- 
den?” 

“I supply all the moisture,” replied the 
Fairy. “I bring rain and fiU up the 
brooks and streams so that all plant life 
will be kept fresh and vigorous. I sup- 


14 


The Dawn Gakden 


ply dew for the gardens; and when they 
are hot and thirsty I bring cooling show- 
ers and scatter them over the trees and 
flowers of all the world. 

Don’t you ever forget to come?” 

^^No, I never forget, but sometimes I 
am late, and then there is great suffering 
among the garden plants. Usually we 
work very happily together, though.” 

As she talked, the Shower Fairy had 
taken Arien by the hand, and was lead- 
ing her down the path. The little girl 
noticed, as they walked, that the bushes 
reached out slender green branches 
toward the Shower Fairy. And as she 
touched them they grew fresher and 
greener. They all seemed to love her, for 
each smiled as she passed. Arien won- 
dered that everything seemed so alive and 
fancied she heard murmurs as they passed 
along, but could not tell whether they 
were voices, or only the wind. 

Don’t you think I had better go 
back?” asked Arien, as she noticed that 
they were getting farther and farther 
away from the hedge. 


Arien Meets the Fairies 


15 


^‘No, you are perfectly safe with me/’ 
replied the Shower Fairy, ^‘and I want 
you to meet the other Dawn Garden 
Fairies.” 

‘‘How many are there?” 

“Three more. There is the Barth 
Fairy, whom we will soon meet— the Air 
Fairy— and the Sun Fairy.” 

“Do they all work in the Dawn Gar- 
den?” Arien wondered. 

“Yes, we must all work together every 
morning if we want to keep the world 
full of beautiful flowers. I usually arrive 
first, then the Earth and Air Fairies, and 
last the Sun Fairy. We all work happily 
until the world people wake up. Then our 
Dawn Garden fades away and we pass 
into the gardens of the world for the peo- 
ple to enjoy.” 

A!rien did not speak for a few moments. 
She was thinking how hard the Dawn 
Fairies must have to work to do all there 
was to do for so many world flowers. 
Suddenly she became aware that they 
were running swiftly along the path, and 
as they ran a soft, misty rain seemed to 


16 


The Dawn Gakden 


fly from the robes of the Shower Fairy. 

^‘Why do we go so fast?’’ asked Arien. 

‘‘Because I am a little late and the 
Earth Fairy will be working first if I 
do not make haste. Besides, I must 
gather energy for my morning’s work. I 
have many streams to feed, many flowers 
to refresh and gladden, many plants just 
waiting for my touch. I must hurry.” 

At that very instant the Earth Fairy 
came toward them. She was robed in 
brown and looked very downcast until 
she saw the Shower Fairy, when she 
brightened up just as the little leaves had 
done when the Shower Fairy passed by. 
As Arien and the Shower Fairy came up 
to her she smiled sweetly and said : 

“I have been so weary waiting for you, 
Shower Fairy. I thought you had for- 
gotten me.” 

“No, indeed,” said the Shower Fairy, 
“but this little world child has come to 
visit us and I have been telling her how 
we work together in the Dawn Garden.” 

Arien thought she saw an anxious ex- 


A'rien Meets the Fairies 


17 


pression pass over the face of the Earth 
Fairy and heard her whisper: 

^^You did not tell her anything about 
the flowers, did you? You must not for- 
get that we cannot tell of the flower folk 
—each one must tell its own story 

‘‘No, I only told her of the Fairies. 
But if she stays long enough, she will 
meet the flower folk.’’ 

Arien was so interested in watching the 
Earth Fairy that she did not catch the 
real meaning of what they were saying. 
She thought her a very curious creature, 
and so loving and cheery with the Shower 
Fairy. Her long, brown robe clung close- 
ly about her, instead of flying loose, as 
the Shower Fairy’s did. She was very 
slow and quiet in her movements, while 
the Shower Fairy flitted here and there in 
the garden or sometimes ran with quick, 
light steps back and forth over the path. 
Arien watched her with much interest, 
she was so bright , and active. Yet she 
could not tell which she liked best, 
they were both so kind to her and treated 
her as though she were a real Dawn Gar- 


18 


The Dawn Gtarden 


den child. Sometimes the Earth Fairy 
looked sad, when her face was turned away, 
but as soon as the Shower Fairy touched 
her, or Arien spoke to her, she brightened 
up and smiled so sweetly that Arien 
thought her quite as attractive as the 
Shower Fairy. 

Suddenly Arien felt the Shower Fairy 
clasp her hand tightly and start to run 
again, meanwhile laughing with the soft, 
rippling laugh that made Arien think of 
cool woodland streams. As she looked 
ahead, she saw another fairy coming to- 
ward them— and before she spoke Arien 
knew it was the Air Fairy. She could not 
tell what color her robe was, for it seemed 
to be of delicate rainbow tints that con- 
stantly changed to shades of light gray. 
She appeared to float rather than walk, 
and yet was calm and stately. Arien felt 
half afraid to speak to her, but soon they 
were all chattering merrily and she for- 
got her shyness. 

The Air Fairy and Earth Fairy climg 
together lovingly as they walked along. 
Arien noticed that they had much to say 


AiRiEN Meets the Fairies 


19 


to each other in low, confidential tones. 
The Air Fairy saw that Arien was watch- 
ing them and she said gaily : 

‘^You must not wonder, little world 
child, to see us so affectionate. We are 
twin sisters and almost never separated. 
We are older than the Shower Fairy and 
the Sun Fairy and they often go away and 
leave us together. That is one reason why 
we have grown so fond of each other.’’ 

‘‘What makes the Earth Fairy so sad at 
times?” asked Arien, as the Air Fairy 
ceased speaking. 

“She does not seem sad to me,” said 
the Air Fairy, “but she shoulders most of 
the burdens of mankind, while the rest of 
us take life more joyfully. The world 
men have not treated her kindly. Some- 
times it has been due to ignorance and 
sometimes to blindness. I mean world 
blindness— they did not know that she 
suffered by their neglect.” 

Alien grew silent and thoughtful at 
the Air Fairy’s words. She wondered if 
she had always been kind, and thought- 
ful of the comfort of the Earth Fairy. 


20 


The Dawn Gakden 


‘^Do you suppose I have ever hurt the 
Earth Fairy?’’ she asked, as the Air 
Fairy did not continue. 

‘^No, we are not visible in the world 
gardens,” said the Air Fairy, ^‘and a lit- 
tle girl like you is almost as one of us. 
It is only when men unite and become 
very strong that they have the power to 
hurt us. Some day they will know us 
better— then we shall all be happier.” 

Just then Arien noticed that the Show- 
er Fairy had disappeared and remem- 
bered that she had been in haste to do 
her morning tasks. She knew they 
must have walked some distance while 
the Air Fairy was talking to her, and she 
asked : 

‘‘When will we meet the Sun Fairy?” 

“She comes into the Dawn Garden last 
of all,” replied the Air Fairy, “because 
she has not much strength here. It is 
only when she reaches the world gardens 
that she becomes strong and powerful, but 
she is very beautiful. You will love her— 
everyone does.” 


Abien Meets the Paieies 21 

you think we will meet her soon 
now?” asked Arien. 

^^Yes, I know she is coming for I catch 
the glow from her robe.” 

^^What kind of a robe does she wear?’ 

^‘It is very beautiful,” replied the Air 
Fairy, ^^and you will soon see it.” 

As she spoke, Arien saw the Earth and 
Shower Fairies returning and also noticed 
a delicate pink glow creeping over every- 
thing; it touched the Air Fairy’s robe 
and made it the color of the rose petals in 
Grandma ’s rose garden ; it caught the flow- 
ing folds of the Shower Fairy’s robe un- 
til its clinging drops of moisture glistened 
and sparkled like hundreds of bright 
jewels; even the dark, sombre robe of the 
Earth Fairy grew radiantly beautiful in 
the rosy glow. Then Arien knew what 
had happened— the Sun Fairy had come ! 

For a few moments the radiance daz- 
zled Arien so that she could not see dis- 
tinctty, but when her eyes became used to 
the brightness she saw standing before 
her the most beautiful creature she had 
ever seen. Her face shone with a radi- 


22 


T^e Dawn Gaeden 


ance that made everything about her seem 
less brilliant, and yet, when Arien looked 
into the faces of the other fairies, she 
found that they too had become more 
beautiful with the arrival of the Sun 
Fairy. 

‘^Oh,’’ said Arien, with a happy little 
sigh, “I should think you would all love 
the Sun Fairy very much indeed— she is 
so wonderful.” Arien felt that the words 
sounded very commonplace, but the 
Fairies responded in chorus : 

^‘She is the Queen of the Dawn Garden 
Fairies.” 

Arien thought she had never seen such 
beauty as now seemed to spread over the 
Dawn Garden. Everything shone with a 
golden radiance— each little leaf on the 
bushes and trees seemed to be fluttering 
with a new joy— and once again Arien 
thought she heard the murmuring as of 
happy voices, then the soft, sweet warb- 
ling of distant birds as one by one they 
awakened under the spell of the warm, 
golden light. She felt thrilled and happy. 


Airien Meets the Fairies 


23 


as though she wanted to dance in the glad- 
ness of the bright garden. Then she was 
conscious that the Air Fairy was leaning 
near and whispering in her ear: 

‘^We must leave you now, Arien, and 
perhaps tomorrow we may not speak to 
you, as you will be with the flower folk, 
and when we work with them we cannot 
talk with a world child. It is only at our 
meeting place near the entrance to the 
Dawn Garden that a world child can hear 
us speak.’’ 

^‘But I thought we had walked so far?” 
exclaimed Arien in surprise. 

‘‘Measured by world miles, we have,” 
said the Air Fairy, “but in the Dawn Gar- 
den it all lies near the entrance to the 
great gardens of the world.” 

As she flnished speaking, Arien saw the 
Earth Fairy cling closely to her. Throw- 
ing Arien a kiss, they passed out of sight 
down the path. Before she could run 
after them, she felt cool arms about her 
neck and knew that the Shower Fairy was 
bidding her farewell. As she put up her 
hand to respond to the Shower Fairy’s 
caress, she felt a dewy kiss on her lips and 


24 


The Dawn Gaeden 


the Shower Fairy was gone. The Sun 
Fairy alone stood looking at Arien in all 
the brightness of her radiant beauty, but 
in a few moments, with a last, warm em- 
brace, she too fled down the path. And 
as she disappeared in the distance, the 
glowing tints faded from the garden and 
it became very dim and cool and silent. 


2 


The Sunflower 

For a few moments Arien stood look- 
ing down the path where the Sun Fairy 
had vanished, wondering what had be- 
come of her. Then she saw with a start 
that a tall, straight figure was standing 
beside her, and looking up she saw the 
jovial face of a Sunfiower smiling into 
hers. 

‘^Why don’t you smile?” asked the 
Sunfiower. 

Arien gave a little jump. didn’t 
know flowers could talk,” she said, edging 
away. 

^^Oh, we all talk in the Dawn Garden, 
it is the only time we have. When we go 
out of the Dawn Garden we become world 
flowers and we have to be silent, although 
we sometimes show our feelings by curl- 
ing up, or giving out more sweetness, ac- 
25 


26 


The Dawn Garden 


cording to our humor. And very often 
the world people understand us.’’ 

^ rien was so interested that she came 
back and stood close to the big Sunflower, 
looking up into his face. It seemed so 
full of sunshine and happiness she did not 
want to take her eyes away. 

‘^You see,” explained the Sunflower, 
^^we garden people are all different, just 
as the world people are different, and we 
all have different missions both here and 
in the world.” 

Isn’t this garden in the world?” asked 
Arien, feeling puzzled. 

Yes, it is part of the world, just as the 
seas and rivers and other parts that are 
not used to live in by the world people. 
But it is not at all known to the world 
people, as it only exists for the flower 
folk. We all have our different duties 
and are much like world people— different 
ones for different tasks.” 

‘‘What are your duties?” 

“Well, the Sunflowers are all sturdy, 
strong fellows, made of tough flbre to 
stand all changes of weather. So we do 


The Sunflower 


27 


in the Dawn Garden what the hard work- 
ers in the world do for others, make it a 
happier place to live/’ 

^^Just like Hicks.” 

‘‘Who is Hicks?” asked the Sunflower. 

“Hicks is our gardener, and that is 
what he does.” 

The Sunflower did not reply to this, but 
instead continued: 

“Because we do rough work and make 
life smoother and easier for the other flow- 
ers in the Dawn Garden, we grow coarse 
and rough-looking and are not loved as 
much as the more delicate flowers.” 

He was silent for a moment and Arien 
remembered how she had laughed at 
Hicks ’ clumsy way of walking, and 
thought how rough and ugly his hands 
were from working outdoors in all sorts 
of weather. And all the time he had been 
making the world a mure beautiful place 
to live in. 

“And does that make you very un- 
happy?” asked Arien gently. Somehow, 
she was beginning to like this big, rough 
Sunflower. 


28 


The Dawn Gaeden 


not unhappy,’’ continued the Sun- 
flower, because we know this is our life. 
No one is unhappy in the Dawn Garden. 
In the world, where we bloom for men, we 
are not admired and many think us weeds, 
and rough and ugly. But this is often the 
way with world people— they do not con- 
sider that sometimes the rough and ugly 
ones are very necessary to the happiness 
of others. In the Dawn Garden, just as 
in the world, each one is fitted for a cer- 
tain mission and because we are rough and 
Jess beautiful God makes us stronger and 
sturdier. For every quality that we lack, 
another is given us to take its place. It is 
so with world children, but they do not 
know it as well as we and sometimes they 
are discontented and unhappy.” 

^‘I think you are beautiful/^ said Arien 
sympathetically. 

“Do you, really?” asked the Sunflower 
and he smiled so broadly and good- 
naturedly that Arien felt quite at home 
with him, laughing merrily as she re- 
plied : 

“Yes, and you are so sunny.” 


The Sunflowek 


29 


‘ ‘ Ha, ha ! ’ ’ laughed the Sunflower, ^ Hhat 
is a real joke.’’ 

‘‘I did not mean it for a joke. I mean 
that you are so bright and happy that it 
makes you beautiful.” 

The Sunflower looked very much 
pleased as they trudged along together, as 
though he liked admiration. 

^‘You see,” said Arien, never saw a 
Sunflower smile and seem so happy, and it 
makes you look entirely different.” 

‘‘Then, when we are world flowers, you 
think us homely,” added the Sunflower 
thoughtfully. 

“Why, yes,” said Arien reluctantly, for 
she did not want to hurt the Sunflower’s 
feelings, “I never thought they were very 
pretty. But I shall now, for when I look 
at them I’ll think of what you have told 
me and will try to fancy them— smiling as 
you smile— and I know they will always 
seem beautiful to me. ’ ’ 

“Thank you,” said the Sunflower, sol- 
emnly. 

Suddenly he began to quicken his steps. 


30 


The Dawn Garden 


so that Arien had to run to keep up with 
him. 

Where are we going now?’’ she asked. 

‘‘I have to meet the Sun Fairy as she 
comes into the garden,” he replied. ^‘She 
gives me all my brightness. If I miss her, 
I shall begin to look faded and dull.” 

And who gives the color to your pretty 
brown face?” 

^^All the Fairies help to make me what 
I am.” 

^^How are the flowers born?” asked 
Arien, becoming deeply interested in the 
wonderful flower life. 

^‘God sends us into the Dawn Garden 
as baby seeds. Each seeds contains a little 
flower soul, which the four Dawn Garden 
Fairies receive and bless. Then they care 
for these tiny seeds tenderly until we 
bloom into small Dawn Garden children. 
Some of us, like myself, grow sturdy and 
strong. Others remain little flower chil- 
dren— such as the Pansy boy and the 
Marigold.” 

Arien ’s eyes widened with interest: 

^‘How wonderful!” 


The Sunflower 


31 


‘‘Yes, the Dawn Garden is full of child 
flowers, Forget-Me-N ots, Lillies-of -the- 
Valley, Violets and many others. But as 
you love flowers, you will probably meet 
many of them before you leave the Dawn 
Garden. As I told you, each flower has a 
mission. They love to tell it to a world 
child whenever they can find one to listen 
to them, for it is not often a world child is 
permitted to visit the Dawn Garden. You 
are a very fortunate little girl!” 

“It must be a very large place,” said 
Arien, “for we have been walking quite a 
long while and I have not seen any flower 
folk but you.” 

“The Dawn Garden reaches all over the 
world, and the flowers will become slowly 
visible to you as you grow used to our life. 
The flowers are very much like people: 
they are pleased to talk to anyone who is 
really interested in them ; but they are dif- 
ferent in others ways, because they are 
contented with their lot and do not try to 
become like other flowers. They each love 
the life that has been given them, and they 
know the little spot on earth that they live 


32 


TaE Dawn Gakden 


in is just as good and full of happiness as 
any other spot if they take advantage of 
all the Dawn Garden Fairies do for them. 
And this is the great secret of their happi- 
ness.” 

‘‘What do you mean by ‘trying to be- 
come like other flowers?’ ” asked Arien. 

“I mean that when God sends a little 
Violet soul into the world, it is always 
contented to remain a Violet, and does not 
aspire to be a Rose—or a Lily— or any- 
thing different from what God intended 
it should be.” 

Arien was soberly thoughtful for a mo- 
ment, and then she said: 

“Do you think the world children would 
be happier if they were like that?” 

“I am sure of it,” replied the Sun- 
flower. “Of course, world children must 
realize that they have gifts to be cared for. 
God bestows something on each one. It 
may be only a happy disposition or a very 
winning smile. Whatever the gift is, if the 
world child will develop it and be content- 
ed to grow up a useful, natural and loving 
child, always caring for the gift God has 


The Sunflower 


33 


given it, some day it will be happy, much 
happier than if it covets a gift some other 
world child has and which was not intend- 
ed for him.” 

Arien thought the Siinflower was very 
wonderful and wise, and looked up proud- 
ly into his broad, good-humored face. 

Suddenly she felt a flash of brightness, 
and knew the Sun Fairy had turned her 
bright glance upon them. In a few mo- 
ments she heard the Sunflower say : 

“Good-bye, little world child. Do not 
forget me when you return to earth.” 

“Oh, must you go?” asked Arien, the 
tears springing to her eyes, for she had 
become very fond of the big Sunflower. 

“Yes, I cannot stay longer. I am ready 
for earth, but you will not be lonely— 
good-bye.” 

“Good-bye,” cried Arien, and once 
more the Garden became quiet and the air 
fllled with a sweet finagrance. 


3 


The Eose 

The scented air hovered about Arien 
and seemed to comfort her. She remem- 
bered just such an odor in Grandma’s 
rose garden after a shower. A soft velvet 
petal brushed her cheek and as she put up 
her hand to the spot, a sweet, low voice 
said: 

“Dear little world child!” 

The air was quite misty and Arien could 
not see plainly, but she was beginning to 
feel very much at home in the Dawn Gar- 
den and the sweet voice seemed full of love 
and s)nnpathy. 

“Who are you?” exclaimed Arien. 

“I am a Rose,” said the voice. Just then 
the air cleared and Arien saw a beautiful, 
full-blown rose standing beside her, seem- 
ing in the dim light as large as she. 

“Why do you not look bright and hap- 
34 ’ 


The Eose 


35 


py"?” asked her new companion sympa- 
thetically. 

felt so lonely without the Sunflower. 
He was so jolly and kind.’’ 

‘‘Yes,” said the Rose happily, “we all 
love the Sunflower. He does more than 
we know to make the Dawn Garden beau- 
tiful. But you must be bright and happy 
here— everyone is happy in the Dawn Gar- 
den!” 

“Doesn’t anything ever go wrong?” 

“Oh, yes, sometimes the Shower Fairy 
does not give us enough to drink and the 
Sun Fairy becomes restless because she 
cannot complete her work without the aid 
of the Shower Fairy. Then the flowers 
droop and are not so healthy. But really 
it is only when we break some law of the 
Dawn Garden that we are not allowed to 
be merry. And that does not make us 
truly unhappy, for it teaches us the value 
of doing what is right.” 

Arien with great interest was looking 
into the beautiful face of the Rose as she 
talked. 

“What is yotir mission in the world?” 


36 


The Dawn Gakden 


she asked, remembering what the Sun- 
flower had told her. 

The Rose spread her petals and looked 
very stately and beautiful. 

‘‘I am the Queen of the Flowers,” she 
answered proudly, ‘^and my mission is to 
carry love and sweetness into the whole 
wide world. My perfume is loved by all 
and I am chosen as the symbol of affec- 
tion. I am the favorite of the sick and 
weak. I am treasured often as a keep- 
sake, and retain my sweetness long after 
I am broken from the stem— as an indi- 
cation of my love for the world people.” 

‘^It is wonderful to be so beautiful, isn’t 
it?” asked Arien, admiringly. 

^‘Yes, when one can create so much 
happiness with fragrance and beauty,” 
replied the Rose— and then a very strange 
thing happened. 

“O— h!” Arien cried out. 

A soft orange glow, shot with silver, 
crept over the garden, which gradually 
formed into row after row of fragrant, 
blooming Roses, pink Roses and darkest 
red, Roses yellow as gold and white as 


The Eose 


37 


snow, large Eoses and dainty buds. They 
seemed to sing and dance with happiness 
in the soft gold-and-silver light. 

Arien jumped up and down in her ex- 
citement, clapping her hands and laugh- 
ing merrily. 

‘^Oh, isn’t it won-der-f ul ! ” 

^^Yes,” said the Eose. wanted you 
to see them as they really are— full of the 
joy and sweetness of the Garden Life. 
They cannot talk to you, because only one 
of us can talk at a time. But they are 
showing you how happy they are and 
what a beautiful place this is in which to 
live. Come, let us go among them.” 

The Eose started forward, and Arien 
followed her wonderingly as she passed 
down a path that seemed to wind among 
great beds of blooming Eoses. As they 
went Arien could feel soft petaled lips 
brush her cheeks and wave after wave of 
marvelous perfume sweep over her. She 
was sure that she two was growing soft 
and warm and pink in the glowing light, 


38 


The Dawn Garden 


just like the Roses. And she started to 
laugh and dance. 

After they had gone a little distance, 
the Rose turned to her and said : 

^‘How do you feel, Arien, since you have 
come among the Roses?” 

^‘Oh, I feel so happy and light-hearted 
and full of laughter,” and Arien bubbled 
over with merriment as though to prove 
her words. 

‘‘I am glad,” the Rose confided, ‘‘be- 
cause now you will understand just what 
our mission is in the world. No other 
fiowers give quite so much happiness as 
the Rose— of course you feel it even more 
keenly now because we are all together 
and the air is filled with all our love and 
sweetness. In the world this has to be 
widely scattered, but even then we can 
give a great deal of joy. You would not 
want the Roses taken out of the world, 
would you, Arien?” she asked. 

“Why, I cannot think of a garden with- 
out Roses. Doesn’t every real garden 
have Roses?” 

“Every garden should,” replied the 


The Rose 


39 


Rose, “for God sent a wonderful flower to 
mankind when He created the Rose. He 
wanted to give the children of the earth 
more love, beauty and gladness, so He 
created a Rose.” 

“Don’t you believe almost everyone 
knows thatr’ 

“No, it is not supposed to be known in 
the world. It is just felt. God sends 
silent messages to all the world through 
His flowers. Everyone who loves a Rose 
feels the message it carries, and everyone 
in tune with the flowers always feels a 
little closer to God when he looks into the 
heart of a Rose.” 

“How wonderful. I never thought of 
that.” 

“No, because you are a little girl and 
you only know that flowers are beautiful 
and that you love them.” 

“I have always loved them, ” said Arien, 
“but I shall love the Rose more than ever 
now.” 

“And yet,” the Rose pointed out laugh- 
ingly, “I found you without a single smile 
of happiness on your face only a little 


40 


The Dawn Garden 


while ago,— because the Sunflower had 
left you.’’ 

^^But I did miss him so— because he was 
so jolly and such good company.” 

^‘That is just it,” said the Rose, ‘^you 
will love us all in a different way, because 
we are flower souls and have the power to 
make you love us.” 

Arien noticed that as the Rose talked 
the light was fading again. Very slowly 
the beds of Roses were disappearing. 

‘^Oh, they are going,” said Arien. 

‘^Yes, they can be with us only a short 
time. But in a little while we shall see 
something even more beautiful.” 

^^What*?” asked Arien. 

‘‘It is called the Rainbow Dance, and all 
the flowers take part in it.” 

“Where do they have it?” Arien cried. 

“Right here,” and even as she spoke, 
Arien noticed the light changing again, 
and a silver radiance creeping over the 
Garden. The air was moist and clung 
about them like a shining silver veil. 

“It is the Shower Fairy freshening the 


The Rose 


41 


air, so they will not wilt,” whispered the 
rose. 

In a few moments the mist lifted and 
then a wonderful thing happened. All 
kinds and colors of flowers came trooping 
through the Garden— Roses of brilliant 
hues. Dahlias, Poppies, Sweet-Peas and 
Mignonette, Phlox and Cosmos, swiftly, 
rh3rthmically they swung past, half danc- 
ing, half walking, seeming to keep step to 
some distant harmony. Even with the 
strong contrasts in color, shape and size, 
Arien noticed that the colors.blended beau- 
tifully. It was, indeed, a rainbow, bril- 
liant-hued. 

‘^Do you like it?” the Rose inquired. 

^^It is the loveliest sight I have ever 
seen. Do they dance this way every 
morning?” 

‘‘Yes, it is their greeting to the new day 
and their thank-offering for the privilege 
of entering the world of men and carrying 
their messages of happiness and cheer.” 

“Are they very glad to come into our 
world gardens, even if they cannot talk 
and have a good time?” asked Arien. 


42 


The Dawn Garden 


‘^Oh, yes, that is where they do their 
real work. They only prepare for it in 
the Dawn Garden.” 

Arien noticed that a great band of 
Daisies was nearing them. And as they 
passed they flung a silver spray from their 
petals, which fell over her like a great, 
soft mantle. 

‘^Oh, how I love them!” called the little 
girl. 

^^Yes,” answered the Rose, ^Hhere is a 
reason why you should love them very 
much. And I am sure they will tell you 
about it.” 

‘^What was it they threw over me? It 
made me feel so happy.” 

The Rose looked very thoughtful for a 
moment. Then she replied: 

cannot tell you that, Arien, I can 
only tell you the mission of the Rose. But 
you will know before you leave the Dawn 
Garden.” 

Al*ien felt very curious to know what 
the Daisy’s mission was, but she did not 
question the Rose further because she felt 
that she had been so very kind to her. 


The Rose 


43 


The flowers were still trooping by, gor- 
geous in color and throwing out waves of 
fragrance such as Arien had never known 
to come from world flowers. 

‘^Are you tiring of it^?’’ asked the Rose. 

^^No, indeed,” said Arien, and as she 
spoke a band of saucy Pansy boys danced 
by and laughed impishly up in her face. 

Aren’t they funny little fellows?” and 
Arien laughed merrily back at them. 

Yes, they are the flowers loved by all,” 
replied the Rose, ^^and you will no doubt 
hear their story, as they will make a spe- 
cial effort to tell you. Only certain flowers 
will be able to confide in you, because you 
are a little girl and can only know the 
flowers of youth.” 

Don’t all the flowers belong to us?” 
asked Arien. 

^‘No, you cannot know the Bleeding- 
Heart, the Passion Flower, The Century 
Plant and many others— as they are not 
for the hours of childhood.” 

Arien grew thoughtful. 

^^Are they in the dance?” 

^^Yes, but you can see only the flowers 


44 


The Dawn Gabden 


of childhood here. And some of them will 
probably talk with you before you leave.’’ 

Arien noticed that the light was fading 
again, and the flowers just a colorful haze 
in the distance. Then in a few moments it 
became quite gray, and the Rose was say- 
ing in low, musical tones : 

‘‘Good-bye, dear Arien, remember al- 
ways the mission of the Rose.” 

“Indeed I will,” and she turned to em- 
brace the friend who had been so kind to 
her. But already she had disappeared, 
and where she stood there was only a soft, 
rosy glow in the gray mist that was closing 
about her. 


4 


The Daisy 

come with us, and you will know 
How little Daisy children grow. 
Sunshine makes our bodies bright— 

Soft clouds make our dresses white.” 

Arien heard a merry laugh as the song 
died away in a lingering trill, and looking 
up she saw the happy face of a Daisy 
child. 

^^When did you come?” asked Arien. 
am always here, only you could not 
see me,” replied the Daisy. 

‘^Why couldn’t I see you?” 

‘^Because in the Dawn Garden we often 
work unseen until we are ready for the 
world gardens.” 

^^What did you mean when you sang 
^sunshine makes our bodies bright’ and 
‘soft clouds make our dresses white?’ ” 
asked Arien. 


4’5 


46 


The Dawn Garden 


Just what the words say.’’ 

‘‘But I do not understand.” 

‘ ‘ That is because you are a world child, ’ ’ 
the Daisy stated loftily. 

“But do tell me,” begged Arien. “I 
want so much to know what makes you so 
pretty.” 

“Come with me, and I will show you,” 
the Daisy answered, relenting at the plead- 
ing note in Arien ’s voice. Arien felt a 
soft little hand slipped into hers, and in 
a few moments they were hurrying toward 
a large field. Once again the garden 
seemed to glow with a warm light and 
Arien felt comforted and happy. 

“What makes it get so bright and beau- 
tiful every once in a while?” asked Arien 
as they walked along. 

“It is the Sun Fairy making the light 
that gives our bodies such a rich, deep 
gold,” the Daisy told her. 

Just then Arien noticed thousands of 
Daisy children, with tiny faces upturned, 
eagerly drinking in the soft, yellow light 
which the Sun Fairy was pouring into the 
Garden. 


The Daisy 


47 


‘‘This is what keeps us filled with the 
j oj of life, ’ ’ said the Daisy. ‘ ‘ But come, I 
want you to visit the next field.’’ 

“Oh, is there another one?” 

“Yes, and I wish you to see the Shower 
Fairy weaving petals— of silver clouds.” 

Arien thought how much this place 
seemed like a big, new kind of fairyland 
as the Daisy hurried her along, but she did 
not speak. Then the air seemed to change 
and become cooler as they approached the 
field, and Arien noticed white, filmy clouds 
hanging over it. Gradually she saw 
through the clouds and could distinguish 
the golden bodies of the Daisies being fit- 
ted with their silver petals. 

“How lovely to be dressed that way,” 
remarked Arien, “with no buttons or 
hooks to fasten.” 

The Daisy laughed merrily, “We would 
look fine with our petals fastened on with 
hooks, now wouldn’t we?” 

Arien joined in her laugh. “At any 
rate, you ought to be glad you can get 
dressed so easily.” 

“We are always happy; that is what 


48 


The Dawn Garden 


ichildhood is for, and we are always chil- 
dren.” 

‘‘Don’t you ever grow up?” Arien 
asked. “You seem much larger than 
world flowers.” 

“No, we are the flowers of childhood. 
We live out in the flelds and roadways of 
the world, unhampered and free. We bloom 
only in the Spring, when everything is 
fresh and young and the world children 
can be turned outdoors to play with us. 
We may seem large to you, but it is so 
we can play and talk with you while you 
are here.” 

Arien suddenly became thoughtful. 

“But suppose we do not always treat 
you well?” she questioned, remembering 
how often she had stripped the daisies 
of their petals, scattering them broadcast. 

“We always forgive you, because we 
know that in your heart you love us.” 

“And do you forgive us when we are 
cruel?” asked Arien, remembering how 
she had trampled on some daisies one day, 
in a fit of temper. 

“Little children do not often abuse us. 


The Daisy 


49 


and when they do we must forgive them. 
It is only the Daisy’s body that is hurt. 
The soul is never hurt, but returns to earth 
in a tiny Daisy seed which will come to 
life again in the Dawn Garden.” 

^^Eeally?” thought Avien wonderingly. 
But she added, out loud, ‘‘I will never be 
unkind to the Daisy children again.” 

‘‘No, the world children never are- 
after they have visited the Dawn Garden. 
They go back to the world gardens with 
a deeper love for the flower children and 
they usually teach others to love us more. ” 

“Do many world children come here?” 
asked Axien. 

“No, not very many but we hope more 
may come each year, as it is natural for 
children to love flowers and they learn to 
love them more readily by coming into the 
Dawn Garden.” They had been walking 
slowly away from the cloud fleld as they 
talked. 

“Where are we going now?” 

“I want you to play with us a while 
before we go into the world gardens.” 

“Oh, what fun,” Arien said. Just then 


50 


The Dawn Garden 


she heard sweet, childish voices singing 
in the distance: 

‘^Come out and join the Daisy ring, 
Watch us weaving, as we sing. 

Daisy chains are made at play— 

Daisy hearts are always gay!” 

^‘Here we are!” exclaimed the Daisy, 
laughing gayly, and Arien felt a slender 
hand drawing her into a wonderful Daisy 
ring. 

‘‘Do I have to sing, too?” Arien wanted 
to know. 

“No, they will not sing any more now 
that we have joined them, but we can play 
with them.” 

Arien found herself swaying with a 
rhythmic movement that seemed to suit 
the words the flowers had just been sing- 
ing. Then in the soft light she saw that 
the daisies were bending and swa3dng un- 
til they seemed to weave themselves into 
a real Daisy chain, such as she had always 
made in the big field near Grandma’s 
garden. Around and around they went! 


The Daisy 


51 


Arien did not become dizzy— she seemed 
to be lifted without aid— and as they cir- 
cled and danced she found that they were 
flinging about her the soft, fllmy veil 
which she had noticed when they passed 
her on the road, as she had watched them 
with the Rose. 

What is the soft veil they are throwing 
about me asked Arien of the Daisy who 
still clung to her hand. 

‘^It is the mantle of innocence. And 
one of our greatest missions in the world 
gardens is to throw about every child this 
veil of purity.’’ 

^‘What is it for?” 

‘^It is to draw them closer to the little 
flower folk and keep them untouched by 
some of the harsher things of the world 
which must come into their lives later on. 
Sometimes, when they spend a great deal 
of time with us, we can keep this veil 
about them for a long while, but gradually 
as they go forth from the flelds of child- 
hood and forget us— or only think of us 
occasionally— we lose our power over them 
and they become more worldly.” 


52 


The Dawn Garden 


'^^What do you mean by ‘worldly^?” 
Arien asked. 

‘‘I mean, fonder of the things men make 
than of the things God makes.” 

‘^How much you know,” exclaimed 
Arien, admiringly. 

^‘No, only what we all learn by being in 
the Dawn Garden,” the Daisy told her 
simply. 

Just then Arien felt her left hand re- 
leased and the Daisy told her they had 
finished the chain dance. Arien felt sorry, 
for she had enjoyed being with them in 
their play. 

^^What shall we do now?” she asked. 

‘^Let us wade in the brook,” and as the 
Daisy spoke she grasped Arien ’s hand 
more tightly and hurried with her down 
a path that seemed to lead into a shadowed 
woodland glade. Arien saw that numbers 
of Daisy children were trooping after 
them, and it made her feel very happy 
and light-hearted, they were all so full of 
life and merriment. Soon they came to a 
clear, running brook that tumbled along 
hurriedly as though eager to get out into 


The Daisy 


53 


the open spaces. Here all the Daisies be- 
gan running, as though impatient to reach 
the shining, sparkling waters. Arien, 
catching their spirit, ran with them. 

^‘Do you know what makes them so 
eager?’’ the Daisy called. 

^^No,” answered Arien, thought they 
were anxious to paddle in the water. I 
always love to do it.” 

^^Yes, they enjoy that, but there is a 
beautiful spirit here called the Spirit of 
the Woods, and sometimes if we listen 
carefully she tells us stories of the wood- 
land life. It is a different life from that 
of the Dawn Garden, but not less beauti- 
ful, and we like to hear her tell the stories 
in her own way.” 

By this time the Daisies were paddling 
in the stream. Arien stooped to remove 
her shoes and stockings and was surprised 
to find that she was already in her bare 
feet. The Daisy laughed merrily at her 
surprise: ^^The world children cannot 
wear clothes in the Dawn Garden,” she 
said, ^^they must be clothed as one of us.” 


54 


The Dawn Gakden 


Then Arien noticed that she was covered 
with soft, velvety petals of many hues. 

^^How funny I must look,’’ she ex- 
claimed. 

Indeed, you look very sweet and beau- 
tiful,” said the Daisy admiringly. 

^^And won’t it hurt my petal dress to 
go into the water ? 

“No, the water will make it even fresher 
and more beautiful.” 

The Daisies were all romping merrily 
in the water, when suddenly Arien saw 
them stop and bend their heads as though 
listening attentively to something. 

“Hush!” from the Daisy, as Arien 
started to speak, “they hear the Spirit of 
the Woods, and are listening for a story. 
Perhaps if you are quiet you will hear it 
also.” 

So Arien was very quiet and presently 
she heard a little, murmuring sound, but 
she could understand nothing that sound- 
ed like words. It was to her simply a soft 
wind stirring the tree-tops. She knew it 
meant more than this to the Daisies by 
their bright, interested expressions and 


The Daisy 


55 


the quiet attention with which each was 
listening. The sound soon died away and 
she ventured to speak. 

could not understand her,’’ said 
Arien, ^^what did she sayT’ 

^^She told us the legend of the Acorn. 
I am sorry you could not understand, for 
much of the beauty of the story is in the 
way she tells it. It was all about how very 
patiently the Acorn waits through the 
years to grow into the mighty Oak— be- 
cause it knows that only by patience and 
endurance is any great deed accomplished. 
It is the most wonderful example in 
Woodland life of patience, and yet the 
Acorn is always a merry little creature, 
one of the merriest of our Woods.” 

^^Did she think we needed the story?” 
Arien thought she saw a moral in the tale. 

‘^Oh, yes, we all need it, ” said the Daisy, 
‘^for at times we are all too careless and 
happy for our own good.” 

‘‘But that is your mission, isn’t it?” 

“Yes, but we must never forget that 
even in the happy, carefree time of life 
there are lessons to be taken to heart— 


56 


The Dawn Gabden 


and the lesson of patience is the hardest 
for childhood to learn. But I must leave 
you, now.’’ 

‘‘Oh, dear, and I was just learning to 
love you so much.” 

“Good-bye,” was all she said, and Arien 
knew that the Daisy children were all 
trooping silently but swiftly down the 
path that led from the woodland, back into 
the Dawn Garden. 


5 


The Pansy Boy 
Hello, Arien!’’ 

Arien turned quickly toward the sound 
but as she did so, with a ready smile of 
greeting on her lips, the voice seemed to 
come from behind her. 

Where are you?’’ she shouted, laugh- 
ingly, for she was becoming used to the 
Dawn Garden children and felt very 
friendly with them all. There was no 
answer, but just then she heard a teasing 
laugh ahead, and as she looked saw the 
mischievous face of a Pansy boy peeping 
at her from behind a tree. 

Hello!” exclaimed Arien, ‘^when did 
you come?” 

am always here,” and the Pansy boy 
skipped out from behind the tree and 
came quite close to Arien. 

^^And can you hear all I say, even when 
I cannot see you ?” Arien was remember- 
57 


58 


The Dawn Garden 


ing her conversation with the Rose and 
hoping she had not said anything to hurt 
the Pansy boy’s feelings. 

could hear you if I were close 
enough, but we are all far too busy to 
listen and must use every moment of our 
time to prepare for the world gardens.” 

^^But you are not working now,” Arien 
stated very positively. 

‘^No, because I want you to know about 
my place in the world. If we can talk 
with a world child it is a very good thing, 
and our mission in the world gardens is 
more apt to be fufilled.” 

“But you are such a jolly little boy, how 
can you have a mission?” 

“That is just what I am made for— to 
be jolly.” 

“Do you mean it is really a good thing 
to be a mischievous little boy?” asked 
Arien, beginning to feel provoked, as she 
remembered some of the pranks her little 
school friends had played upon her. 

“Yes, we are the youth and stimulus 
of the Dawn Garden. Without us the 
others would stand still. When we find 


The Pansy Boy 


59 


them getting droopy, we begin to play a 
little joke on them and prance about full 
of life and spirits. They soon forget to 
be dull, and gladly laugh and play with 
us.” 

^^But I shouldn’t think it very kind to 
play a joke on anyone.” 

^^Why?” Pansy boy questioned so 
innocently that Arien felt sure he must be 
very much in earnest. 

Because sometimes jokes frighten and 
hurt people.” 

^^Oh, no, you are mistaken. The flower 
folk never hurt each other. We are 
always helpful, and in different ways.” 

^^But world boys are not.” 

^^What do you mean?” asked Pansy 
boy. 

mean they are often rude and un- 
kind, and hurt little girls’ feelings and 
make them cry?” she replied, remember- 
ing her own feelings on several occasions. 

The Pansy boy looked at her wonder- 
ingly: 

“What do you mean by ‘cry’?” 


60 


The Dawn Gaeden 


^ ^ Don ’t you ever feel unhappy and have 
your eyes fill with tears?” 

Pansy boy laughed merrily: No— and 
do they really try to make you unhappy?” 

^‘Why, yes, I guess they do. I know 
they are very bad, so bad they have to be 
punished.” 

^‘What do you mean by ‘punished’?” 

“I mean that when they tease, or do 
wrong or hurt anyone, or destroy some- 
thing, they have to be whipped, or go with- 
out dessert for a week or be shut up in a 
room alone for a long, long while.” 

The Pansy boy was silent for a few 
moments, then he asked : 

“Were you ever punished?” 

“Yes,” Arien confessed with a little 
blush, “I have been naughty sometimes 
and have done things I shouldn’t do.” 

“What made you do them?” 

“Oh, I don’t know,” replied Arien. 
“Isn’t everyone naughty sometimes?” 

“That is just what I wanted to hear. 
In the Dawn Garden we do not know of 
these things, and we often wondered what 
made the little world children treat us un- 


The Pansy Boy 


61 


kindly at times, when we try so hard to 
make them happy.” 

Arien suddenly felt sorry for little 
Pansy boy, and slipped a warm hand into 
his as they trudged along side by side. 

do not think we mean to be unkind,” 
she replied, “I am sure I never did.” 

‘‘I don’t believe you did,” patting her 
hand with a little protecting air. ‘‘But 
come, I want you to see how the spirit of 
youth works.” 

They hurried along for a few moments 
and suddenly halted beside a wide, beau- 
tiful meadow. In the gray light Arien 
could distinguish nothing for a few mo- 
ments, then she was conscious of a move- 
ment as though wind were blowing 
through heavy foliage— a blur of color 
which gradually shaped itself into blos- 
soms. As the light enabled her to distin- 
guish the movements of the flowers, Arien 
saw that there were hundreds of Pajnsies 
making merry in a jolly, light-hearted 
manner. 

“What are they doing?” Arien cried 
out. 


62 


The Dawn Garden 


‘^They are giving the spirit of youth to 
all the flowers/’ replied the Pansy boy. 

you will watch them closely, you will 
see just what I mean.” 

Arien noticed a bed of Daffodils, grow- 
ing close by, which seemed to droop a 
little. A troop of Pansies passed and 
while Arien could not hear what they said, 
she could tell by their merry, impish looks 
that they were having fun. They danced 
and whirled about the Daffodils, patting 
them on the cheeks. As they played to- 
gether Arien could see how the Daffodils 
brightened and seemed to sparkle with 
animation. They no longer looked 
‘‘droopy,” but joined in the play with as 
much interest as their little companions. 
Everywhere the Pansy boys went, the 
other flowers seemed to welcome them and 
to brighten when they came near. Arien 
saw a tall Lily with a wistful expression 
watching the Pansy boys. 

'^Why does the Lily look so sober?” 
asked Arien. 

“He has only one more day in the world 
gardens,” Pansy boy told her. 


The Pansy Boy 


63 


‘‘Is he unhappy?’’ asked Arien. 

“No, he is the happiest of all the flow- 
ers, but it is a different kind of happiness 
from that of the Daffodils. His mission 
in the world gardens is a very beautiful 
one— the most wonderful of all the flow- 
ers. Some day you will know it.” 

Just then a very lively Pansy boy 
stopped before the Lily and smiled up in 
his face. The Lily leaned down and 
kissed Pansy boy’s velvety cheek, and as 
he did so Arien noticed what a wonderful 
face the Lily had and how it seemed to 
shine with a soft radiance as he bent over 
Pansy boy. 

Suddenly Arien heard peal after peal of 
laughter ring on the air— and then dozens 
of Pansy boys all laughing together. 

“Why do they do that?” asked Arien. 

“They are trying to wake up the wild 
flowers,” said Pansy boy, “they sleep so 
much longer than the garden ones.” 

“But aren’t they all the same here?” 

‘ ‘ They are all the same to God. But the 
wild flowers are sturdier, for the world 
children do not tend to them so carefully 


64 


The Dawn Garden 


and they grow out in the fields and high- 
ways.” 

Alien looked quite serious for a few 
moments. 

Would the little world children be 
sturdier if they were not cared for quite 
so much?” 

‘‘Yes,” said Pansy boy. “The world 
children are very much like flowers: the 
more they are housed and cared for, the 
less strong they grow and sometimes they 
become altogether useless.” 

Just then troops of Daisies, Buttercups, 
Clover blossoms. Gentian and Arbutus 
hurried past ; and Arien knew that Pansy 
boy had been successful in waking them. 

“Now they are all awake and up, what 
will they do?” Arien asked. 

“Come with me and you will see,” and 
slipping his hand out of hers Pansy boy 
ran down the path ahead of her. 

“Oh, don’t leave me!” cried Arien, run- 
ning after him. But Pansy boy kept just 
a little bit ahead and with an impish smile 
looked back over his shoulder at Arien. 


The Pansy Boy 


65 


‘‘Are you going to leave meT’ Arien 
was half crying. 

want to see if you can catch me.’’ 
Pansy boy flew down the pathway. 

Arien ran swiftly after him, for she did 
not want to lose sight of her merry little 
companion. Just as she was beginning to 
feel breathless, she lost sight of Pansy 
boy altogether. Quite ready to cry, she 
sat down by the side of the path, and as 
she did so heard. 

Hello, Arien!” She turned, but the 
voice was not where it seemed to come 
from. Hearing a mischievous laugh just 
above her, she looked up to see Pansy boy 
swinging lightly from the branch of a tree. , 

‘‘Are you tired he asked. 

“No, Wt why did you run so fast?” 

“ It is part of our work. Now don ’t you 
feel better and brighter for the run?” 

“Yes, but you frightened me because I 
thought I had lost you.” 

At these words the Pansy boy came 
down and sat beside her. “You must not 
feel that way again, Arien, because I will 
never leave you.” 


66 


The Dawn Gakden 


^‘Not even if some of the other flowers 
come to talk to me Arien recalled what 
the Rose had told her. 

‘^No, not then, and not even when you 
go back to the world. You will not see 
me, perhaps, nor hear me talk, yet I will 
not leave you!’’ 

‘^But the other flowers did not tell me 
that— not even the Daisy, who said she 
was the flower of childhood.” 

‘‘No, because the Daisy could only be 
with you for a while. But remember ! I 
am the spirit of youth, and I will stay 
with you always, unless—” and he looked 
at Arien with a serious expression on his 
saucy face— “unless you treat me so un- 
kindly that I will not wish to stay.” 

“Oh, I will never do that,” promised 
Arien. 

“Come, let us see what the flowers are 
doing.” He jumped up, lifting Arien 
lightly to her feet, and in a few moments 
they were beside the big meadow once 
more. 

“Oh, ho, they are going to help the 
Shower Fairy,” said Pansy boy. 


The Pansy Boy 


67 


< ^^How will they do that?’’ 

‘^It is going to be a clear, hot day in the 
world gardens, so they are going to carry 
dew for the Shower Fairy to give the 
flowers to drink and to comfort them 
through the heat.” 

“Eeally?” exclaimed Arien. 

‘‘Yes. It is part of their work, and 
they love to do it.” 

Arien saw the field flowers passing, and 
as they passed the air grew cool and moist. 
She noticed that each little face was wet. 

“They look as though they had been 
crying.” 

“That is the funny thing world chil- 
dren do, isn’t it?” asked Pansy boy. 
“Flowers never cry,” and he laughed so 
merrily that Arien joined him and laugh- 
ed also. 

“Oh, I forgot,” smiled Arien, “you 
never cry in the Dawn Garden.” 

“No, we sing and dance and work and 
play.” 

“And love and make others love you,” 
added Arien kindly. 


68 


The Dawn Gakden 


That is flower life. It is aU the result 
of our work and play and laughter.’’ 

suppose it is,” Arien was thought- 
ful. Then she said: ‘^And I will always 
love you, Pansy boy.” 

She never knew whether Pansy boy 
heard, for now he was leaving her just as 
the others had done. 

But she caught his voice faintly on the 
breeze, as he disappeared, and it sounded 
like: 

will never leave you, Arien.” 


6 


The Forget-Me-Not 

Somehow, with the voice of the Pansy 
boy still sounding in her ears, Arien did 
not feel lonely. Then he had promised 
that he would never leave her, even though 
she could not see him. This comforted 
her. She felt happy and light-hearted 
and soon she was skipping along the path, 
singing softly to herself. She was half- 
way through a rollicking little sailor song 
she had learned at school, when she felt 
a soft little hand in hers and a bright, 
bell-like voice said : 

^^Take me with you.’’ 

^^And who are you?” 

Arien looked down to see the uplifted 
face of a Forget-me-not, blue as a summer 
sky. 

am one of the Little Joys,” the For- 
get-me-not said brightly. 

69 


70 


The Dawn Garden 


‘^But I thought you were a Forget-me- 
not.” 

“That is what the world children call 
me and of course I am that to you; but 
God sent me into the world as one of the 
Little Joys of life.” 

“I suppose,” answered her happy little 
companion, “that it is because so many 
people are apt to forget us. We are tiny 
and there are so many larger things that 
they are constantly seeking.” 

“But you are very pretty and sweet. I 
always loved you,” Arien asserted. 

“Yes, most little children love us,” re- 
plied the Forget-me-not happily. “I am 
one of their flowers. There are many 
others— the Lily-of-the-Valley, the Trail- 
ing Avbutus, and all the dainty, tiny flow- 
ers of woods and fields that are not easily 
found and for which children love to look. 
But they always And us if they look care- 
fully, and we reward them with our 
beauty and sweetness. Sometimes quite 
large children will search for us for hours, 
in the early spring when we first visit the 
world, and they seem so happy when they 


The Forget-me-not 


71 


find us. We flower children always be- 
lieve that the world children grow up hap- 
pier men and women if they know the 
Little Joys. So we do all we can to attract 
them and make them find us. ’’ 

Arien thought of some of her own long 
walks through the woods in the very early 
spring, searching for Arbutus and early 
Beauties, and how overjoyed she was 
when she discovered the delicate-colored 
petals among the leaves. She gave the 
hand of the Forget-me-not a warm, con- 
fiding little squeeze, as she asked, 

^^Do you suppose there is anyone in the 
world who does not love you*?’’ 

“Very few,’’ confessed the Forget-me- 
not, “because in all parts of the world 
where God has world children, he scatters 
the souls of the Little Joys so they may 
know the secret of happiness. He has 
given so many of us to the world, so many 
kinds, so many colors, that we are able 
to please all in one way or another.” 

“Do you think all people would be 
happy if they knew the Little Joys?” 
“Perhaps not really happy, because 


72 


The Dawn Gakden 


real happiness comes only through the 
heart. But the heart grows by knowing 
the Little Joys.” 

Arien was thoughtful for a moment, 
and the little Forget-me-not skipped and 
danced about her, seeming to carry a ray 
of sunlight with her as she moved. Arien 
could not tell if she were sunbeam or 
flower, so brightly and quickly the tiny 
flower danced before her. 

‘‘You are so blue— so much the color of 
the sky— that when the beams from the 
Sun Fairy strike you I cannot tell whether 
you are a flower or not.” 

The little Forget-me-not laughed mer- 
rily: “That is because I am preparing to 
go into the world gardens. I take my 
color from the blue of the sky— such a 
deep, beautiful blue that when people in 
the world gardens look at me they will 
think of Heaven. Then the Sun Fairy 
kisses me with a sunbeam which stays 
with me a long while, and gives me my 
brightness and warmth.” 

Arien was much interested. 

“And are all the Forget-me-nots in the 


The Foeget-me-not 


73 


world gardens made of Heaven blue and 
sunbeams?” 

‘^Yes, and not only the Forget-me-nots, 
but all the Little J oys— and there are very 
many of them. They are not all blue, be- 
cause even the sky is not always blue, but 
I am the color world people so soon forget 
when trouble comes. They seem not to 
know how blue the sky is, when it is 
clouded for them. So I have been given 
this color, to lie at their feet when they 
forget to look up, so they will remember 
how blue and beautiful it is ! Some of the 
other Little Joys take the color of the sky 
in early morning, when the Sun Fairy is 
tinting it with pink and lavender and 
gold.” 

“Do you suppose I shall meet any of 
the other Little Joys?” Arien felt a sud- 
den eagerness to know these tiny flowers 
better. 

“Perhaps they will not be able to talk 
to you,” replied the Forget-me-not, “but 
if you are patient I can perhaps show you 
every one of the Little Joys— getting 
ready for the world gardens.” 


74 


The Dawn Garden 


Arien danced around delightedly when 
the Forget-me-not told her this. Though 
Forget-me-not was silent for such a long 
while that Arien thought possibly she had 
forgotten her presence. Meanwhile they 
came to a large, open space without trees 
or bushes,— just quantities of soft grass. 
The sky was blue and seemed very near. 

Suddenly they stopped walking, and 
turning Arien around with a quick little 
jerk, the Forget-me-not said excitedly: 

^^Here they come, Arien, here they 
come!” 

Arien looked in the direction in which 
the Forget-me-not pointed, and over low 
hills and from nearby woodlands Arien 
saw groups of dancing, pure-white flow- 
ers, like snow-drops in the distance. As 
they drew nearer Arien found that they 
were many different shapes and sizes— 
some looked like little Forget-me-nots, 
some like Blue-Bells and others like Vio- 
Jets— but all the same wonderful white. 

‘^Are there no colored ones?” asked 
Arien, beginning to feel a little disap- 
pointed that they were all the same. 


The Forget-me-not 


75 


the Forget-me-not said softly. 

Arien did as she was told and watched 
the dancing, merry groups as they came 
toward them. And as they moved and 
breathed in the air of the open country 
they became tinted. When the first 
groups reached her, Arien found they 
were all blue. On they trooped— 
Forget-me-nots, Blue-Bells, Violets, 
Quaker-Ladies— all blue as the sky, some 
deeper, some lighter. While they passed, 
filling the air with their beauty and sweet- 
ness, Arien noticed that the sky itself was 
changing. It was no longer blue, but 
slowly tinting with a warm, rosy fiush. 
Then came trooping the Arbutus, dainty 
little Spring Beauties, fiowers of many 
shapes and sizes, some that Arien had 
never seen, but all delicately colored and 
of many shades. Arien watched the 
almost endless stream of color as it danced 
past her— once she closed her eyes, as the 
colors seemed to blaze for a moment in 
brightness. 

^‘Are you tired?’’ her little companion 
inquired. 


76 


The Dawn Garden 


‘^No, not tired/’ she sighed, ^^but I did 
not know there were so many. Do they 
go on this way forever?” 

“No, not forever,” the Forget-me-not 
laughed light-heartedly, adding, “there 
are others that must prepare for the world 
gardens, but these are the greatest in 
number.” 

“Why?” asked Arien. 

“I suppose,” replied the Forget-me- 
not, “it is because the world children need 
the Little Joys to make life happier.” 

“But they neglect them, don’t they?” 

“No, they do not neglect them exactly, 
but they take them as a matter of course 
—as though they were not of sufficient im- 
portance to be thankful for— and so they 
do not get all the sweetness and pleasure 
from( them that they should. God has 
sent so many Little Joys into the world! 
And because there are so many, and the 
world children may have them so easily, 
they do not always appreciate them as 
they do the Greater Joys.” 

“What are the Greater Joys?” the lit- 
tle girl wanted to know. 


The Fokget-me-not 


77 


^‘They are the joys that come to you 
after you grow up/’ answered the Forget- 
me-not. ‘‘They do not belong to child- 
hood. But come, we must hurry.” And 
taking Arien’s hand, “I am afraid we 
will be too late to see the Simbeams come.” 

Arien noticed that the sky had grown 
brighter as it always did when the Sun 
Fairy was coming, and that the flowers 
were all standing in little groups, each 
kind all by itself. Slender golden rays 
began to fall over them and just as the 
Forget-me-not had done they began to 
dance with joy, so that Arien could hardly 
tell whether they were flowers or sun- 
beams as they sparkled and laughed in 
the bright rays. 

It was all very wonderful. Thinking 
now of what the Forget-me-not had told 
her of the Sun Fairy, Arien whispered, 

“Do you think the Sun Fairy will kiss 
meV’ 

“Yes. She kisses you often in the 
world, but it is such a usual thing that 
you do not notice it. Sometimes she creeps 
in your window from the garden and 


78 


The Dawn Garden 


kisses you while you sleep— just as she is 
kissing these flowers now.” 

‘‘But when I am awake why doesn’t it 
make me happy— and want to laugh— and 
dance like the flowers?” 

“Because the flowers are closer to na- 
ture, and they feel the joy more keenly. 
But the Sun Fairy is very good to you. 
You would not be healthy or happy 
without her. Alnd she knows this so well 
that she works for you constantly, even 
though you do not understand and appre- 
ciate her as the flowers do. She loves the 
world children just the same as she does 
the Dawn Garden children, and works for 
them just as faithfully. Haven’t you ever 
noticed how you love to be out in the sun- 
shine, especially after it has rained for a 
long while?” 

“Oh, yes,” answered Arien, eagerly, “I 
love the sun then.” 

“And she loves you just as much, and 
shows it by kissing you into warmth and 
brightness.” 

“I shall always love the Sun Fairy,” 
Arien said thoughtfully. 


The Forget-me-not 


79 


She noticed that the flowers were dis- 
appearing, that only a very few groups 
were left. 

‘‘Where are they?” 

“They are going into the world gar- 
dens, and so must I, Arien.” The Forget- 
me-not slipped her hand out of Arien’s 
and ran to join the last group as it danced 
down the path toward the end of the gar- 
den. As she ran she called back : 

“Never forget the Little Joys, Arien. 
They will make you very happy.” 


7 


The Dandelion 

Arien was lonely after the Little Joys 
had gone— they were all so bright and 
happy. The air still seemed to ring with 
the laughter of the little Forget-me-not 
and her last words as she had danced 
away. Arien ’s loneliness soon died away, 
however, and she began to feel curious as 
to which flower would talk to her next. 
They all seemed eager to have her know 
them, and what a big, happy family they 
were. She trudged along and thought 
over all the Forget-me-not had told her. 
A warm, happy feeling passed through 
her, such as she had on bright spring days 
at home, when she thought of the Little 
Joys dancing in the sunbeams and getting 
their warmth and beauty from the soft 
kisses of the Sun Fairy. When she 
thought of their passing by so quickly A 
little sigh escaped her. 

80 


The Dandelion 


81 


^‘Why do you do that?’’ came a voice 
beside her. Looking down, Arien saw the 
soft, round face of a dandelion beaming 
upon her. 

^^Do what?” from Arien. 

^‘Make that funny noise!” 

^‘But I only gave a little sigh.” 

^‘What is a sigh?” asked the Dande- 
lion. 

^‘It is a little noise people make when 
they are sad.” Arien was feeling a trifle 
confused as to just how to explain a sigh. 

‘‘What do you mean by ‘sad’?” asked 
the Dandelion. 

“Don’t you ever feel sad? It is the 
opposite of happy.” 

“No, I guess we don’t get sad in the 
Dawn Garden.” 

“What do you have to do?” Arien 
changed the subject. “I never thought 
you were of very much use.” 

The Dandelion opened his eyes very 
wide, and looked at Arien with a surprised 
and not very pleased expression. 

“Why, I represent service to the 
world,” he replied proudly, and Arien 


82 


The Dawn Garden 


thought he looked very attractive as he 
held up his head in a dignified manner. 

“I am used as fiower, food and medi- 
cine, so I have a triple mission to perform. 
Our experiences are many and often 
beautiful. We are carried into homes 
where people greet us as a tonic, in the 
springtime. Often, pale faces brighten 
and grow more hopeful when they see us. 
We like our work in the world gardens 
and take plenty of nourishment from the 
Dawn Fairies— knowing ail it means to 
humanity. Our mission is always the 
same— to aid life.’’ 

never thought any of the fiowers did 
that,” Arien told him. 

‘‘Yes, indeed, we have many different 
missions, quite as many as the world chil- 
dren; but we are the silent children of 
nature and do very quietly what is to be 
done.” 

“But why can’t you talk and tell us 
these things— in the world gardens?” 

“We cannot talk in the world gardens; 
we must tell our little story silently. But 
many understand the qrdet messages of 


The Dandelion 


83 


the Dawn Garden. Some world people 
are born with a great love for us. They 
understand our use in the world, and teach 
it to others who do not know us so well.^’ 

Just at that moment there was a soft, 
golden glow overspreading the Dawn 
Garden. 

^^What makes that beautiful light?” 
Arien asked. ‘^It is so soft and restful.” 

^^It is the Sun Fairy, who always brings 
that soft glow for us. It gives us our 
strength and the qualities which we need, 
qualities which the Earth, Air and Shower 
Fairies cannot give us. Watch carefully 
and you will see.” 

Arien looked closely as the Dandelion 
had advised, and soon she saw thousands 
of Dandelions spring up all about her, 
raising their heads in the golden glow 
which seemed to fall over them like a soft 
veil. They were all nodding. Every- 
where she looked were swaying dandelions 
growing more beautifully yellow as they 
swayed and nodded on their slender stems. 

“Can you see the Air Fairy?” whis- 
pered the Dandelion in Arien ’s ear, as 


84 


The Dawn Garden 


Arien turned from side to side to watch 
the many nodding heads. 

^^No, where is she*?’’ 

‘'Look quite steadily, straight ahead of 
• you.’’ 

Arien did so, and there was the Air 
Fairy— just as she had seen her when she 
first entered the Garden; only far more 
beautiful now, for her face was alight with 
the expression that only comes when one 
is doing something for another. Arien 
remembered seeing just such a look on 
her mother’s face once-upon-a-time when 
she had picked up a tiny bird that had 
fallen from its nest. All these fiowers 
were under the Air Fairy’s care and Arien 
knew she must feel very tender and loving 
as she helped them to become more 
useful and more beautiful. 

Back and forth through the Garden the 
Air Fairy moved, always with the same 
lovely look on her face. 

“Why can I see the Air Fairy with 
tJiese fiowers,” asked Arien, “and not 
with the others?” 

“Because the flowers of service are 


The Dandelion 


85 


those most needed in the world yet the 
ones least sought ; and when the Air Fairy 
is working with them she grows stronger 
and more visible to world children. It is 
because she is so anxious that the world 
children should know their message. 
Every time an earth child discovers the 
message hidden in the heart of a flower, 
it makes all four of the Dawn Garden 
Fairies very happy. They become more 
loving and tender to all the flowers that 
go into the world with the message of 
usefulness.’’ 

Siuddenly Arien caught a sweet, rhyth- 
mic song afloat upon the air. 

‘‘Are they singing?” 

“Yes, it is the song of gratitude.” 

“What are the words they are saying?” 
asked Arien. “I cannot understand them. ” 

“Then I will sing them for you,” said 
the Dandelion. And softly humming until 
she fell in with the rhythmic tones of their 
voices, she sang : 


86 


The Dawn Garden 


^^Sun Fairy, Sun Fairy, warm and so 
bright— 

Happy we grow in your soft golden light ; 

Air Fairy, Air Fairy, coming our way— 

Bringing us joy for our world garden 
day; 

Earth Fairy, Earth Fairy, mother of 
all- 

Gladly we answer your clear morning 
call; 

Fairy of Showers and soft silver mist— 

See our bright faces held up to be 
kissed!” 

Ais she finished the last words, Arien 
noticed that the golden light had faded 
away and a gray mist seemed to hover 
over the garden, wrapping them both in 
a soft veil of moisture. 

‘Ht’s the Shower Fairy,” whispered the 
Dandelion softly, ‘^are you afraid of get- 
ting wet?” 

‘Ht won’t last long, will it?” 

^ ‘ I don ’t think so. It is usually for only 
a few moments.” 

think that song was very beautiful,” 


The Dandelion 


87 


Arien observed thoughtfully. ‘^They all 
seemed to sing together so happily. Do 
they sing in the world gardens, too— even 
if we cannot hear them'?” 

‘‘Yes, they often sing, and I believe if 
you listen closely, some time when you are 
in the fields, that you will hear them.” 

“Indeed I will,” and Arien felt as 
though she had known the little fiower 
children all her life. 

“Do you think you will ever be able to 
talk in the world gardens'?” she inquired 
anxiously. 

“No, I am sure we will not, because as 
I told you we must be silent messengers. 
But all can learn to understand us better 
if their love for us is great enough and 
lasting enough to make them care.” 

As they talked Arien could see the soft, 
golden heads of the Dandelions swaying 
in the gray light, seeming to drink in 
delightedly its moisture. Indeed, she 
opened her own little mouth to let in some 
of the refreshing coolness, as it made her 
thirsty when she saw the fiowers drinking. 
The Dandelion beside her drank eagerly 


88 


The Dawn Garden 


too, and Arien could see that he deepened 
and brightened in color as he did so. 

‘^You are very beautiful,^’ he said sud- 
denly to Arien. ‘‘Your cheeks grow so 
pink and your eyes so blue— in the Dawn 
Garden.” 

“Do they?” Arien was delighted. “I 
guess it must be because I have enjoyed 
the little flower people so very much.” 

“I think if you would live with us more, 
in the world gardens, you would always 
be as beautiful as you are now. I do not 
mean just with the Dandelions, but with 
all the flowers.” 

“Why do you think so?” Arien asked 
him. 

“Because God made the out-of-doors 
and the garden life, and it is wonderful. 
The nearer the world children live to what 
He has made— the more beautiful and 
happier they become.” 

“I shall always love the flower world 
now,” Arien felt very sure. 

“I hope you do, and remember what I 
have told you,” he replied. 

Just then another Dandelion caught 


The Dandelion 


89 


hold of her little companion’s hand, and 
led him oif through the cool mist toward 
the end of the garden. 

Good-bye, dear Dandelion,” called 
Arien. 

The Dandelion did not reply, but looked 
over his shoulder with a last loving glance 
at the little playmate he was leaving. 


8 


The Apple Blossom 

Arien felt contented as she trudged 
through the Dawn Garden. The air was 
cool and bracing, and all the world was 
full of merriment and happiness. Un- 
consciously she began to hum the little 
song Dandelion had sung to her : 

‘^Sun Fairy, Sun Fairy, warm and so 
bright— 

Happy we grow in your soft golden light ; 

Air Fairy, Air Fairy, coming our way— 

Bringing us joy for our world garden 
day; 

Earth Fairy, Barth Fairy, mother of 
all- 

Gladly we answer your clear morning 
call; 

Fairy of Showers and soft silver mist— 

See our bright faces held up to be 
kissed!’’ 


90 


The Apple Blossom 


91 


As the last merry bars of the song died 
on her lips, Arien heard a sweet voice 
humming the air with her. A pure white 
Apple Blossom was swinging on a bough 
nearby. 

^^How do you like our little song*?” 
Blossom asked, swinging back and forth, 
the motion of her tiny body still keeping 
time to the tune they had been humming. 

think it is very pretty,” the child 
told her. 

We all love it,” went on the Blossom, 
^4t is our morning song and we sing it 
just as we are preparing to go into the 
world gardens. It always makes us feel 
so bright and happy.” 

^‘What do you do in the world gar- 
dens?” 

The Blossom gave a joyous little toss of 
her head as she replied : 

am one of the Blossoms of garden 
life— and I am sent into the world that 
the world people may know both joy and 
refreshment through me.” 

Are there many like you?” 

^^Yes, there are millions— scattered all 


92 


The Dawn Garden 


over the world! We grow into luxuriant 
fruit in the world gardens and carry hap- 
piness wherever we go. People seek us 
for the pleasure we give them. We have 
a pleasant mission, ’’ and the little Blossom 
sat swinging its legs merrily and smiling 
down upon Arien. 

never thought of the fruits being 
pleasures/^ Arien said. ‘‘I just thought 
they were naturally part of the things we 
eat.’’ 

‘^That is because you have been able to 
get them so easily.” The Blossom gave a 
wise little nod of her head. ‘‘If you had 
never tasted a Strawberry or a delicious 
Peach, and should one day find in your 
garden a little blossom that would grow 
into one of these fruits, you would think 
it very wonderful. And you would try 
very hard to find another.” 

“But Hicks, our gardener, always has 
plenty of fruit for us. ” Alien was a little 
perplexed that the Blossom should take so 
much credit to itself. 

The Blossom was silent for a few mo- 
ments, and then she said: 


The Apple Blossom 


93 


thought when I heard you singing 
our little song, Arien, that you had learned 
the great lesson of the Dawn Garden. If 
it were not for the Dawn Garden Fairies, 
and all the work they do so patiently for 
the world garden people, neither Hicks 
nor anyone else would be able to raise even 
a Peach; nor would there be a single 
Strawberry on the vines.’’ 

Arien thought the Blossom’s voice 
sounded a trifle solemn and the little girl 
feared she might have hurt her feelings. 

‘‘You are not cross with me, are you?” 

The Blossom gave a silvery laugh. 
“What is ‘cross’?” 

^‘I mean— did I make you feel unhappy 
by what I said, and did you think I 
should not have said it?” Arien was find- 
ing it very difficult to explain to the little 
flower children the feelings of world peo- 
ple. They seemed so happy and natural 
in everything they said and did. 

“No, we never feel that way,” the 
Blossom promptly answered. “Sometimes 
we wonder why the world people do not 
know more than they do about flower life. 


94 


The Dawn Garden 


but this feeling does not last, because we 
always see much that is fine and true in 
world people. And we feel sure they will 
know and understand us somfe day.’’ 

Arien had been thinking while the blos- 
som was talking. 

What would happen if the Dawn Gar- 
den Fairies should grow tired some time, 
and never want to work for us any more % ’ ’ 

The little Blossom did not reply at once, 
and when she did her voice ^was very low 
and sweet, as though she were stating a 
simple truth that everyone should know. 
But there was not even a tiny note of pity 
that a world garden child should not know 
as much as she. 

‘‘I do not know what ‘tired’ is, for we 
are very happy in our work. The Dawn 
Garden Fairies know all the ways of our 
life and they take such good care of us— 
and make everything so pleasant here — 
that we are always contented. Sometimes 
when we go into the world gardens we 
wonder that everyone does not love and 
care for uS; but the Dawn Fairies come 
even there, and care for us.” 


The Apple Blossom 


95 


think it is all very wonderful. But 
when you grow into fruit and people eat 
it— what happens?’’ 

‘‘When we become fruit,” the Blossom 
said, “our mission is fulfilled— to give up 
all to the pleasure of the world garden 
people. We are trained just for this pur- 
pose. The Dawn Garden Fairies tell us 
of other blossoms that have gone into the 
world gardens, and become good fruit. It 
makes us eager to do as well. 

“Then you give up your whole life to 
give someone pleasure?” Arien was quite 
surprised. 

“Surely, why not?” And again the 
Blossom swung merrily back and forth 
upon the bough. “The pleasures of nature 
are much keener and more delightful than 
any artificial ones.” 

Arien thought the Blossom made the 
prettiest picture, swinging happily in a 
ray of light that had crept into the Gar- 
den while a sweet perfume— that Arien 
had often noticed in the early summer, in 
the orchard at home— filled the air aU 
about them. It made her feel dreamily 


96 


The Dawn Garden 


happy, and she sat on the grass looking 
at the Blossom without making any reply. 
When the light deepened the white of the 
Blossom began to take on fresh, pink tints, 
as Arien remembered them in the world 
garden. 

At length she cried out, ‘‘What a won- 
derful odor!” 

“Yes, the Blossoms are all coming to 
greet the Sun Fairy.” As she spoke she 
•sprang lightly down from the green bough 
and taking Arien by the hand, as the other 
flowers had done, led her slowly along the 
path. 

As they walked along Arien saw row 
after row of trees covered with delicate 
green foliage, then, as the air became 
clearer, a maze of wonderful color on 
every tree. The air was so heavy with 
the perfume of many blossoms that it 
made her almost dizzy. But presently she 
became used to it and only noticed the 
beautiful, blossom-laden trees, everywhere 
dappled with flecks of warm sunlight. 

“Look up,” said the Blossom, “look 
up!” 


The Apple Blossom 


97 


Arien did and saw the Sun Fairy and 
the Shower Fairy coming down the path, 
hand-in-hand, between the blossoming 
trees. Arien thought they looked very 
beautiful together— just silver and gold 
all shiny and sparkling. 

The Shower Fairy turned first to one 
side and then the other, as though greeting 
all the blossoms in turn, and the Sun 
Fairy did the same, so that Arien could 
not tell for a moment which was the 
brighter. It seemed to make a strange 
rainbow effect in the air. Then a soft 
wind blew through the Garden and the 
blossoms all swayed back and forth until 
there was a blend of wonderful color, 
everywhere. They sang and sparkled un- 
der the Shower Fairy’s smile and the sun- 
beam kisses of the Sun Fairy. Then Arien 
noticed that the wind was bringing with 
it the air of the Dawn Garden song. 
Sweetly the words floated down to her 
from the hundreds of happy blossoms. 
Her heart leapt with a little thrill of joy, 
for it seemed to bring back for a moment 
the dear Forget-me-not. 


98 


The Dawn Gakden 


Tlie Blossom must have read Arien’s 
feelings. Suddenly she gave her hand a 
tiny squeeze, and Arien became conscious 
that she had entirely forgotten her little 
companion in the joy of watching the 
beauty of the other blossoms. 

‘^Oh!’’ exclaimed Arien, ‘‘did you want 
to go back to your tree and get the kisses 
of the Sim Fairy and the Shower Fairy— 
and join in the singing?’’ 

“No, indeed, I am very happy where I 
am. The greatest joy we have aside from 
our regular life is that of talking to a lit- 
tle world child. And you are a very un- 
usual world child, because you seem to 
love and understand us so well.” 

Arien was much pleased when the Blos- 
som told her this. 

“I suppose it is because I have always 
loved flowers,” Arien said shyly. 

“How I wish there were, oh, so many 
more world children like you,” the Blos- 
som answered softly. 

“There will be!” said Arien, “for 
when I go back I am going to tell everyone 
I know about you— and all about your 


The Apple Blossom 


99 


wonderful life in the Dawn Garden. I 
know it will make them care for you!’’ 

Arien loved this little Blossom very 
much for what she had just told her. But 
suddenly she gave a frightened little 
clutch at the Blossom’s hand: 

^^Oh, are they going?’ she cried, real- 
izing that they too, like the others, must 
pass away. 

‘‘Yes, we must all go now, ” and as Blos- 
som spoke Arien saw the Sun Fairy and 
Shower Fairy pass them in a haze of 
brightness. As the two disappeared down 
the path the light died away and the Gar- 
den became very quiet. The pink and 
white of the many Blossoms faded grad- 
ually to a soft gray; and Arien became 
aware that the little Blossom had released 
her hand and was looking at her with 
sweetly anxious eyes : 

“Arien, you will love the Blossoms al- 
ways?” 

“Always,” said Arien. She choked 
back a little lump in her throat as the 
dainty Blossom threw her a kiss from the 
tips of flowery Angers— and vanished in 
the gray of the Dawn Garden. . . . 


9 


The Daffodel 

For a long while Arien sat by the side 
of the path, under the tree, where the 
Blossom had left her. She wondered if 
her little friend and all the other Blos- 
soms had gone out into the world gardens 
when they left her, and why they had not 
taken her? But when she even thought 
of going away from the Dawn Garden she 
felt unhappy; it was so full of new and 
wonderful experiences. Pansy boy had 
told her that he never left her, even if 
she could not see him. Arien wondered 
if he were near her then, for she was be- 
ginning to be lonely. 

‘^No, Pansy boy is not here, but I am,” 
spoke the merriest voice Arien had ever 
heard. And turning, she looked into the 
bright, laughing face of a golden Daffodil. 

‘‘Why, I didn’t speak,” Arien said in 
surprise. 


100 


The DaffodHi 


101 


“No, but you thought it, and the Dawn 
Children can read your thoughts.” 

“Oh!” And Arien in dismay tried to 
remember whether she had thought any- 
thing unkind about any of her little 
friends. She did not believe she had, for 
everyone had been so kind and friendly 
to her that they had made her love them 
very much. 

“Can you read all my thoughts, whether 
they are good or bad"?” asked Arien. 

“Yes, we read them all. But we know 
just how hard it is to be good in the earth 
gardens, and we only feel sorry when you 
say something unkind. We try to make 
you better by loving you very much.” 

“Why do you say it is so hard for the 
world children to be good? I know I am 
sometimes quite bad and IVe wondered 
why. There is something inside of me 
that just seems naughty.” 

“There is,” said the Daffodil, “it’s 
weeds. ’ 

Arien was opening her eyes 

very wide. 

“Why, what we in the Dawn Garden 


102 


The Dawn Garden 


call the naughty spirits. They’re just 
weeds, and they have to be dug up and 
kept away from the good flowers or they 
will make them useless for their missions 
in the world gardens.” 

‘^But I haven’t got weeds inside of me, 
have I*?” asked Arien. 

Just the same thing, ” the Daffodil told 
her. ^‘All the horrid thoughts which lead 
you to disobedience or to do things which 
make someone unhappy are just weeds. 
They must be got out of your mind— and 
not allowed to grow there at all. If they 
do they will keep you from being happy.” 

Arien laughed as she thought how fun- 
ny it would be to weed out all the naughty 
thoughts ; just as Hicks weeded his garden 
because, as he had explained to her, weeds 
choked the flowers and prevented them 
from growing properly. 

Every time you have a naughty 
thought,” continued the Daffodil, ‘^go 
away by yourself and think of something 
bright and happy.” 

^‘1 will try to think of you,” Arien 
promised, ‘‘for you seem so good and so 


The Daffodil 


103 


happy. Perhaps it will bring back what 
you have said and make it easier to be 
good.” 

^‘You should be happy when you think 
of me,” the Daffodil went on after a mo- 
ment. 

^‘WhyT’ Arien wanted to learn. 

Because I go into the world just to 
create happiness.” 

^^Oh, do you?” Arien laughed merrily, 
and suddenly felt a small hand slipped 
into hers. Before she even knew what 
was going to happen, they were spinning 
about in a little dance. 

When they had stopped and she could 
get her breath, she demanded, ‘‘Where did 
you learn to dance so nicely?” 

“I always dance— when I have anyone 
to dance with, and sometimes alone. It 
seems a natural expression of happiness.^’ 

While he talked Arien remembered a 
great patch of Daffodils she had once 
seen swaying in the sunshine and the 
breeze. She had thought it was the bright 
light on their golden heads that had only 


104 


The Dawn Garden 


seemed to make them dance, but now she 
knew they really had danced. 

‘^Do you dance in the world gardens, 
too?’’ Arien asked. 

‘^Sometimes,” said the Daffodil, ‘^some- 
times we are almost bursting with happi- 
ness, and when the Air Fairy and Sun 
Fairy are very good to us we dance with 
delight. The world garden people think 
it is the wind blowing us, but it is really 
the Air Fairy’s caresses. We dance to 
show her our pleasure. ’ ’ 

“The Sun Fairy must be very good to 
you, too.” Arien recalled her conversa- 
tion with the Dandelion. 

“Oh, yes, she is splendid! If she were 
not generous with us, we could not scatter 
so much happiness. This is our message 
to the world garden children. We store 
up all the sunbeams we can hold, then 
scatter them all about us in the world gar- 
dens. Then if we are gathered and taken 
into a sick room, or anywhere that the Sun 
Fairy cannot shed her light freely, we 
scatter the sunbeams she has given us, for 
others’ happiness. We try to make the 


The DAFFODHi 


105 


world garden children understand that 
without sunshine they cannot be well— 
without health they cannot be happy.” 

^‘Do you mean we have to have sunshine 
to live"?” Arien inquired wonderingly. 

‘^Indeed I do. The world garden chil- 
dren must have all the things we receive— 
the gifts from the Air Fairy, the Earth 
> Fairy, the Shower Fairy, and the Sun 
Fairy, but especially the gifts from the 
Sun Fairy.” 

never thought of that,” Arien con- 
fessed. ^^Then we are very much like the 
Dawn Garden children, aren’t we?” 

Very much indeed, and some day when 
the little world garden children live as 
close to nature as the Dawn Garden chil- 
dren, they will all be just as happy and 
every bit as beautiful.” 

think that is very strange,” Arien 
answered, ^^but I would like to be as happy 
always as you seem to be. ” 

Perhaps you may some day. But I’m 
afraid, if we linger here, we will miss the 
Sun Fairy; and I do want you to feel the 
joy of her visit this morning.” 


106 


The Dawn Gaeden 


Before Arien could reply the Daffodil 
caught her hand in his and ran swiftly 
along with her. As they raced Arien felt 
a breeze whip her cheeks. 

‘‘It’s very windy, isn’t it?” she asked 
rather breathlessly. 

“Oh, that is just the Air Fairy hurry- 
ing to meet the Sun Fairy.” 

“But I didn’t see her,” said the little 
girl. 

“No, you cannot always see her. Even 
the Dawn Garden children sometimes miss 
her. It is only when she gives us our 
nourishment that she is plainly seen by 
us— unless she appears especially for a 
world garden child.” 

They were still running, but so lightly 
and gaily did the Daffodil seem to go that 
Arien felt more as though she were flying 
along on wings than treading on the 
ground. She did not lose her breath nor 
grow tired, though they went so fast and 
for such a long while. At length they 
stopped and Arien gave a little gasp of 
pleasure, for before them were huge flelds 
of dancing, golden Daffodils. 


The DAFFODHi 


107 


^^How beautiful the Dawn Garden is,” 
she murmured happily. Again the air 
seemed filled with perfume and every- 
where was an expectant thrill in anticipa- 
tion of the Sun Fairy. 

At length Sun Fairy came. Arien was 
used to her visits by this time, but even 
so the glory she brought always gave her 
a new little thrill of pleasure. Now, as 
she appeared and her golden light swept 
oven the Garden, pit seemed as though 
everything had turned to gold— a dancing, 
happy world of gold. 

Unconsciously Arien began to dance 
Avith the Daffodils and to catch their spirit 
of happiness and mirth. She still had 
hold of the little Daffodil’s hand and 
noticed that he, too, was frolicking with 
the rest. After a little they quieted down 
and Arien saw the Sun Fairy passing 
among them, stooping to kiss each one 
as she passed. 

Then a strange thing happened. She 
came very close, kissed the Daffodil who 
held Arien ’s hand, then— turning quickly 
—she kissed Arien on both cheeks. As 


108 


The Dawn Garden 


she did so, Arien felt a warm glow all 
through her body and suddenly felt very 
strong and active. She looked at the little 
Daffodil, and saw that he had become a 
deeper and more beautiful yellow. 

^‘Oh, how beautiful you are!” 

^‘And how lovely you are growing,” the 
Daffodil replied. ^‘Your cheeks are so 
pink— and your hair is so gold!” 

‘^When she kissed me,” said Arien, “I 
felt a warm glow all through my body.” 

^‘That is the way we all feel. That is 
life.” 

^^Is it?” 

‘‘Yes, that is why the flowers cannot live 
without their Sun Fairy.” 

“And is that why sick people have to 
have so much of it ?” Arien thought of her 
good doctor who had ordered her to be 
taken out in the sunshine each day, for a 
long, long while, to make her strong and 
well. 

“That’s the very reason : she gives them 
life and strength.” 

“But see how the Daffodils look now. 
And the Sun Fairy knows them all.” 


The Daffodh 


109 


Arien watched them as they passed, and 
each one fairly shone with a beautiful 
golden glow. Then she noticed the Air 
Fairy and the Shower Fairy coming down 
the path hand-in-hand. So beautiful they 
looked together— it reminded Arien of her 
first glimpse of them when she had just 
come to the Dawm Garden. 

Arien watched them go down the path, 
and as they went the Garden lost its gold- 
en beauty. The last of the little Daffodils 
trooped by, and Arien felt a tiny hand 
slipped out of hers. 

She was standing alone once more, while 
the Garden grew still and dim. 


IQ 


The Ln.Y 

It seemed to Arien that she sat for a 
long time in the gray light of the Dawn 
Garden. She had much to dream of, for 
the little Garden folk had put many new 
thoughts in her head about life in the 
great world gardens where she lived. How 
strange it seemed now that all the flowers 
she admired— the Pansy, the Rose, the 
Daffodil and others— had always seemed 
just silent little posies with no especial 
use except to look pretty. But now she 
knew better. How wonderful was their 
work! She remembered what the mis- 
chievous little Pansy boy had said about 
the spirit of youth, and of staying with 
her always. She wondered if he could see 
her now, even though he were invisible to 
her. Could he know that she was thinking 
of him? 


110 


The LhjY 


111 


A laugh like the tinkle of a silver bell 
broke on her thoughts: 

know what you’re thinking,” came 
a voice almost as bell-like as the laugh. 
Aind by her side, tall, straight and beau- 
tifully white, Arien saw a Lily. 

‘‘'V^at, then?” 

‘‘You were wondering whether Pansy 
boy could know that you were thinking 
of him.” 

“How did you ever know that?” Arien 
exclaimed in wonder. 

The Lily only laughed. 

“But can he?” 

The Lily did not reply directly to her 
question. 

“When he said he would be with you 
always, he meant that what he represents 
would be with you always, that is, if you 
will it so— the spirit of youth. You can 
always be young and happy in spirit if 
you wish. Only the body need grow old. ” 

“Do you mean my Grandma has a spirit 
as yoimg as mine?” Arien was somewhat 
mystified. 

“Yes, indeed! Haven’t you ever noticed 


112 


The Dawn Gaeden 


how sweet and bright her laugh is, how 
her eyes twinkle with mischief when she 
is teasing you ? The real Grandma is very 
young. Only her body has grown old in 
the life of the world garden.’’ 

This was a new idea to Arien ; and the 
Lily seemed very wise and solemn to her. 

“Where are we going?” Arien saw that 
they were walking with great speed by a 
path that seemed to lead to the end of the 
Garden. 

“I am going to give you a glimpse into 
your own world gardens— as we see them 
from the Dawn Garden,” the Lily said 
kindly. 

By this time they had reached a tall 
hedge, which looked to Arien much like 
the one she had crawled through when she 
came into the Garden. But this hedge was 
all covered with silver dew, and shone 
brightly. The Lily pointed to an opening 
and told Arien to look. She did so, and 
at first could see nothing clearly. In a 
short time, however, she discovered a 
street where pale, ragged children were 
playing, a street where no sunshine seemed 


The Lely 


113 


to fall. Presently a young girl came into 
the street, with quick, light step, and all 
the children ran to her with shouts of 
laughter. 

‘‘Who is she?’^ Arien cried. 

“She is a Lily. Look!” And as Arien 
looked she noticed that where she had seen 
the young girl standing there was now a 
beautiful white Lily; and the pale little 
children were all crowding around, trying 
to lay their hot cheeks against its fragrant 
petals and smell its wonderful sweetness. 

“How strange,” murmured Arien. 

While she watched this picture faded. 
She saw a stretch of dusty roadway and a 
tiny dog lying in the middle of it, very 
still. 

“It is a poor, stray dog that has been 
hurt by some passing vehicle,” the Lily 
told her. 

Then a little boy came along the road 
and stooped low over the dog. Arien saw 
him lift the little creature in his arms and 
carry it into a field, to the shade of a tree. 
He ran off and soon returned with cool 
water in his hat, which he gave the dog to 


The Dawn Garden 


114 

H i I . 

drink. She then saw him take a 
handkerchief out of his pocket and, dip- 
ping it in the water, bind up the small 
dog’s leg. 

‘‘Isn’t that little boy kind!” 

“He is not a little boy,” replied the 
Lily, and as Arien was about to contradict 
him she looked again, and what she had 
thought was a little boy was a Lily ! But 
the dog still lay there and seemed to revive 
as the Lily swayed back and forth above 
it in the grassy field. 

“Why, I was sure he was a little boy,” 
said Arien in surprise. 

The Lily only smiled sweetly, and once 
again directed Arien ’s attention toward 
the world gardens. 

Arien saw a long room, opened to the 
air, in which there were a number of chil- 
dren about her own age— but different. 
They could not walk or run at all, and 
were either on couches or chairs. 

“Who are they?” 

“They are little cripples who can never 
run and play, like other children, in the 
world gardens.” 


The LhjY 


115 


^ ^ But they seem very happy. I can hear 
them shouting and laughing.” 

^‘They are happy, and if you will look 
again you will see why.” 

Arien did so and saw gentle, white-robed 
women moving among the children. Some 
playing games with them, some telling 
stories and others singing little songs. 

^^Are they the mothers'?” 

^^No,” continued the Lily, these little 
children have no mothers. They are crip- 
pled orphans.” 

^^Oh, how sad,” and Arien began to cry. 

^^Do not do that! You were just telling 
me how happy they seemed.” 

^^Yes,” said Arien, smiling through her 
tears, ^4s it because the ladies in white 
are so good to them?” 

^^The Lilies in white,” corrected the 
Lily. And as Arien looked the scene had 
changed: the room was a wonderful gar- 
den in which the children played, while 
above them bent beautiful, stately Lilies, 
white as snow and bright as sunshine. 

^^Why do they always change like 
that?” 


116 


The Dawn Garden 


‘^Because,” the Lily replied, ^^you are 
looking at them from the Dawn Garden. 
And the spirit of the Dawn Garden is still 
with you.’’ 

‘‘How beautiful! I love to watch it all.” 
But even as Arien spoke the scene faded ; 
the Lily had taken her by the hand and 
was leading her to another part of the 
hedge. 

“Where are we going now?” 

“To look at one more world scene,” said 
the Lily. 

As they leaned through another opening 
Arien saw what seemed to be a dark gar- 
ret. It was cheerless and almost empty. 
In one corner lay a child which seemed to 
be very ill. The door opened as she 
watched and a man tiptoed softly across 
the room to bend above the silent form. 
Arien saw that his face was very kind as 
he leaned close to the little figure. 

“He spends his life,” the Lily whis- 
pered, “seeking out the poorest and most 
miserable among the world garden chil- 
dren— and trying to help them back to 
health.” 


The Lily 


117 


he a doctor?’’ 

“No! a Lily,” replied her companion, 
and as Arien looked she saw that the man 
with the kind face had become a Lily— 
and the child was looking at it eagerly. 

“What does it all mean?” asked Arien. 
“Why are they all Lilies, yet seem to be 
people?” 

“It is our mission,” the Lily answered 
her. 

“Oh,” said Arien, suddenly recollecting 
what she had almost forgotten in her eag- 
erness to see the little flower folk in the 
world gardens. 

“We represent the love of Christ,” the 
Lily went on softly. “We carry a quiet 
influence into the world gardens, and who- 
soever receives our message receives also a 
wonderful strength and happiness. And 
now, Arien, I want you to see how hap- 
pily we all go singing into the gardens of 
the world.” 

Arien danced by his side as he hurried 
along. This beautiful Lily had captured 
her heart— he was the most lovable of all 
the flowers. And before she had time to 


118 


The Dawn Gakden 


ask the many questions that came into her 
mind, she saw the other Lilies coming. 
How beautiful they looked with the Sun 
Fairy sending bright golden rays into the 
Garden, rays that caught the upturned 
faces of the Lilies until they shone like 
jewels. 

never knew you were so lovely,’’ 
Arien said to the Lily. 

^^But ours is the happiest of missions— 
the most sacred. While all the flowers 
have their place and their work in the 
world, we are responsible for the greatest 
happiness of humanity. So we must keep 
always bright and aflame with the purest 
light in the world.” 

Arien felt almost dazzled as the bril- 
liant flowers tripped by. Sometimes they 
looked like Lilies— again she seemed to 
catch a glimpse of a person such as she 
had just seen in her world garden visions. 

‘‘Why do the Lilies change?” she asked. 

“They do not,” replied the Lily. “It 
is you— who see them again with the world 
garden view. 

“Because you will soon leave the Dawn 


The Jjily 


119 


Garden. And here, little Arien, I must 
leave you and join the Lilies who have 
gone ahead. We follow one another close- 
ly into the world gardens, where many are 
waiting for us. Keep always in your 
heart the thought of us. You will be a 
happier little girl.’’ 

As he spoke he moved slowly from her 
side. To Arien it seemed that he was not 
a Lily— but a beautiful child, looking at 
her with wide, loving eyes. And as he 
moved away the silver petals formed a 
halo about his head. On the breeze there 
came the tinkle of a silver laugh— and 
then his sweet voice calling: 

Arien, never forget the little Dawn 
Garden children.” 


The End. 


! 






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